Improvement in grain-elevators



.3. A1 WOODWARD.

GRAIN-ELEVATOR.

- Patented July-'3, 1877.

it nes N, FEI'E'RS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASH! JOHN A. WOODWARD, or SANFnANcIsoo, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAN-ELEVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1192 6111, dated July3, 1877 application filed May 8, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. Woonwaan, of the city and county of SanFrancisco and State ofOalifornia,haveinvented an Improved PortableGrain-Elevator; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, compact, and portableendless-chain elevator for elevating and storing grain, and

for transferring grain and like substances the trunk or case, inside ofwhich the endless chain B, with its attached buckets b b, traverses. Itwill be noticed that the ends 0 E of this trunk or case are made largerthan the intermediate portion A and that one side of the case isstraight, while the opposite side is concave. The lower end 0 is madecircular in form, and somewhat larger across than the main length A ofthe trunk, so that a portion of this circular end projects on one side,so as to form the enlargement above referred to. This projectingcircular side is closed tightly, while the opposite or straight side isopen almost to the lower end of the case.

The drum D, around which the endless chain passes at the lower end ofthe case, is mounted in the center of this circular portion. Theupper'end E of the case is made semicircular in form, as represented, sothat a portion of it will project to the same side of the case that theenlargement of the lower end projects, and the upper drum F is mountedat the center of thecircle. A discharge-openin g, g, is made on theunder side of the projecting portion of this upper part, through whichthe buckets discharge their loads.

It will now be evident that the endless chain B will pass in a straightline from the drum D to the drum F on the straight side of the trunk orcase; but that the opposite side will be drawn in toward the straightside of the trunk by the conformation of the opposite side.

In operation, the lower end of the trunk is placed where the grain canenter the open or straight side and fill the buckets as they pass aroundthe lower drum D. The buckets are then raised by the straight side ofthe chain until they pass over the upper drum. As they pass over thisupper drum they discharge their leads through the opening g, and areimmediately drawn inward by the contraction of the trunk, so that theypass down inside of a straight line drawn from the peripheries of thedrums (J E, thus allowing the bucket behind the one that has just beenemptied to discharge its load without interfering with or striking theone in advance of it, while the bottom enlargement gives the buckets alarger sweep around the drum, and causes them to fill more completely.

This arrangement is quite simple andconvenient. The entire chain movesin a single leg or trunk, so that the machine is compact and easilyhandled and moved about.

in order to provide for tightening the chain, when necessary, I make avertical slot, h, in each side ot the upper end 0 of the trunk, so thatthe ends of the fixed shaft V, on which is the upper drum IE, willproject through them. Each projecting journal is then fitted in theupper end of a short upright bar, 5, on each side of the case. The lowerend of each bar is then attached to a lever, J, between its fulcrum andhandle, which extends out beyond the case on one side, where they areconnected by a cross-bar, 0. A plate, 1), has one end attached to thiscross-bar, and extends down against the side of the trunk or case, whereit is fastened by a screw, S, which passes through a slot, t, in theplate,'and into the wood of the-case, so that the frictionof the platebetween the screw-head and case will hold the levers and journals atwhatever position it is adjusted to.

The shaft V, as above mentioned, is fixed, andthe drum E rotates uponit. In order to provide for lubricating the bearings of this drumwithout disturbing it, I make the shaft V hollow, and plug each end witha screw, W. I theninake a small pin-hole, a, in the shaft opposite eachhearing, so that by removing one of the screw-plugs W the interior ofthe shaft can be filled with oil, thus supplying a constant flow of oilto the bearings through the pin-holes. p

I thus provide a very convenient apparatus for elevating grain, that canbe moved from place to place, and set in operation with little trouble.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim. and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-- 1. The case or trunk A, provided with the

